Australian Ship Detects New Plane-Like Signal in Indian Ocean

A handout image released by the Australian Department of Defense (DOD) on 07 April 2014 shows the towed pinger locator of the Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield, in the Indian Ocean. Photo by EPA/BGNES

An Australianrescue ship has detected a new signal that could be linked to the missing Malaysia Airlinesflight 370.

The Australian "Ocean Shield" vessel has picked up radar signals in the Indian Ocean at a depth of 4,500 meters, CNN revealed. The new lead comes two days after a Chinese rescue ship also came across a signal, some 600km southwest of the current location.

Australian investigators say this is "the most promising lead so far", and it resembles signals of aircraft black boxes.

The latest lead comes on the 31st day since the disappearance of the flight, which was carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing.

Malaysia's Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein urged everybody to be "cautious" and patient regarding the new information. He added that there would be more clarity over the coming days, if not hours.